William macnamar



( -T 2 SheetsSheet 2. W. MACNAMAR.

, DISPLAY TABLE. NO. 508,627.

Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

fl for Wi liam y i WWM UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

WILLIAM MAONAMAR, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

DISPLAY-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,627, dated November 14, 1893. Application filed December 27, 1892- Serial No. 456,479- (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern: Be it known that I, 'WILLIAM MAONAMAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at In dianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Display-Tables; and

' tables for displaying fruits, vegetables and frame of thesliding shelf and forming anlad other articles and is specially adapted to the use of grocers, fruit dealers and merchants whomake outdoor displays in front of their store rooms such as must be moved back and forth in opening and closing the store.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide a display table with handles by which the entire exhibit may be carried intact, thereby saving the time and labor of carry ing separate baskets, boxes, trays, &c., every time the store is opened or closed; second, to

provide a folding table that may be opened out to exhibit an extensive assortment of articles in an orderly and attractive manner, and that may be folded up for convenience in carrying, and also to economize space when indoors, and that may be folded quickly and.

easily and without disturbing the displayed articles; third, to provide a table in which the goods contained therein will at all times, whether folded or open,be*r'eadily accessible, fourth, to provide a display table that may be folded into very compact form for shipment, and fifth to provide a medium for the conspicuous display of advertisements.

I accomplish the objects of this invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which I Figure l is a perspective view of my display table opened out into the position for displaying goods. The view is taken froma point in front of the table and shows one of the lower trays removed to illustrate the con struction of the slatted shelf on which it rests. Fig. 2, is an end elevation of the table showing the lower shelf out. The dotted lines in this view show the position of the shelf when pushed in. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective showing the pin and series of holes in'the from spreading too far.

3' ustable stop to regulate the distance to which 'the shelf may be opened. Fig. 4 is a perspec- 2, are views of a modification in which the four supporting legs are vertical instead of being crossed.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings A represents the four legs of the table which are crossed in pairs at each end of the table and are pivoted together by the bolt 0!, at the point of intersection. These crossed legs are joined in sets of two by means of the connecting boards B. The boards B serve to hold the legs together and by being projected a suitable distance beyond the legs are formed into handles by which the table is carried. In addition to these functions the boards B also form stops which keep the legs The spread of the legs is regulated by the distance of the point of attachment of the connecting boards above the pivotal point.

The legs are free to turn about the pivot and will do so until stopped by contact with the boards B as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The boards B also help to support the sliding shelf .0 as will he hereinafter described.

D is a receptacle preferably in the shape of a shallow box or tray adapted to'rest after the manner of a table top upon the cross legs A. It also rests on and is supported by the cross strips A which connect the upper ends of the legs A. The cross.strips serve to connect the cross legs and give additional solidity and strength to the table. The tray D will preferably be divided by partitions a into a series of smaller compartments A in order that a Variety of exhibits may be displayed and kept lnore'distinctly separated than could be done in one compartment. The

tray D rests upon the legs A and is held from displacement by cleats A on the bottom which bear against the inside of the legs and against the inside of the cross strips A.

O is a sliding shelf resting upon the cross boards B immediately under the trayD when the shelf is pushed in and is supported by the boards 13. The shelf G is constructed of the cross pieces 0 to which the longitudinal strips 0' are nailed. The cross strips 0 form slides and work in notches b in the upper edge of the cross boards B. A block b on the back outside end of the cross piece 0 acts as astop to keep the shelf from sliding out too far.

F is a standard one end of which is pivotally secured to the cross piece a of the shelf 0, near its outer end and the other end is pivotally secured to the front leg A. This standard serves as a support to hold up the outer side of the shelf when the latter is drawn out into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Each end of the shelf is supported in this way by separate standards which are of such a length as to incline the shelf forward when the latter is drawn out and to throw the shelf into a horizontal position beneath the tray D when pushed in. The shelf 0 is adapted to receive berry crates or other boxes which may be filled with such articles of any kind as it may be desired to display. An upwardly projecting ledge 6 along the front edge of the shelf will prevent the boxes on the shelf from slipping off.

In some cities and towns the amount of space that can be used by merchants-in making displays of this kind is limited by the local ordinances and in order that the space occupied may be regulated an adjustable stop is provided. For this purpose a series of holes m are bored through the end pieces 0 of the shelf 0 and a movable pin M is inserted in the desired hole so as to contact with the board B and stop the shelf at the desired point.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the outer edge of the shelf when drawn out is supported by a chain and there are other ways of movably securing the shelf so that it may be moved in and out and while it is thought the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is preferable, it is not desired to limit this invention to that construction. As a table of this kind will always a conspicuous place the sides of the tray and other surfaces will afford excellent mediums for the display of advertisements.

The display table as thus described will be used in the following manner: The upper tray will be filled with fruits, vegetables or any other articles desired,which need not be disturbed thereafter in carrying the table in and out of the store. The lower shelf will be drawn out and the boxes or crates in which fruits, &c., are generally handled, are deposited thereon and the amount of exposure of the lower exhibit regulated by the position of the pins M. It the table is inside when filled the shelf will be pushed in to narrow up the dimensions for greater convenience in passing through the door or other narrow places. The entire device will then be lifted by grasping the handles at each end, and will be deposited outside where wanted and the lower shelf again drawn out to expose the articles thereon. The table Will be returned in like manner in closing the store and the goods left standing therein so that customers arriving while the display is in the store may be served without the delay and confusion which is unavoidable with a miscellaneous assortment of separate boxes and baskets.

A very great item in the economical introduction of a device of this kind is its adaptability for shipment and this display table is constructed so as to fold into a compact form. The inner or detached side of the lower shelf is. raised and moved forward out of engagement with the board B and the edge dropped down when the shelf may be folded back into a vertical position. The upper tray will be removed andthe cross legs folded togetherinto a parallel position. The tray will be placed on the side of the legs opposite the shelf 0 and the whole tied together as shown in Fig. 4.

A are legs arranged parallel with relation to each other instead of being crossed. They are pivotally secured at each of their upper ends to the table A and are joined together in pairs at each end of the table, by means of the transverse piece A, so arranged as to allow the legs to fold toward each other, but always maintaining them in a parallel position.

B are the boards connecting the pairs of legs and also projecting out to form handles.

The shelf 0 is supported by the standards F as described in Fig. 1.

The dotted lines in Fig. 7 represent the position of the frame and legs when opened out to form the table, and the full lines show same folded.

I claim- 1. A table having a removable top supported by crossed legs, and said legs in pairs pivotally connected, strips or boards connecting the several pairs of said legs and forming stops to keep the legs from spreading too far open and having outwardly projected ends which form handles for carrying the table.

2. A table having a removable top supported by crossed legs, legs to support said top crossed in pairs and each pair pivotally connected at their points of intersection, cross pieces connecting the several pairs of legs and forming stops to keep the legs from spreading too far open and having outwardly projected ends to form handles for carrying the table and a shelf movably secured to the table and adapted to be pushed into a position beneath the top of the table and to be drawn out from beneath the top of the table all for the purposes specified.

3. A table having a removable top, folding legs to support said top, handles for carrying the table and a movable shelf adapted to be drawn out into a position inclined toward the floor on which the table rests or to be pushed back under the top of the table substantially as described and specified.

4. In a table, a removable top, folding legs to support said top, handles connected to said legs byrwhich the table maybe carried and a movableshelf adapted .to be, drawn out into a position inclined to the floor on which the table stands and to be pushed back into a for thepurposes specified.

horizontal position in under the top and also adapted to be dropped downintola position approximately parallel with the legs when the latter are folded, for the purposes substantially as described. p

5. A table having folding legs for convenience in shipment in combination with a 'movable shelf secured to the legs of the table and adapted to be drawn out from beneath the top of the table and pushed beneath the top 5 In testimony whereof I affix myisignature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MACNAMAR.

.Witnesses:

J OSEPH A. MINTURN, S. A. MINTURN. 

